SELF-ORGANIZING GROUPS - CONDITIONS AND CONSTRAINTS IN A SOCIOTECHNICAL PERSPECTIVE

An increased level of self-organization, particularly in autonomous wo rk teams, is widely believed to be a necessary part of a successful fi rm and a factor in many modern restructuring initiatives. This article investigates the limitations of self-organized groups and surveys the se limitations from two important perspectives: (1) limits that are in herent to the production structure and equipment, and (2) limits that relate to the firm's workforce. With respect to the first issue, the p redictability of markets and the standardization of production situati ons provide strong reasons for limiting the opportunities for self-org anization. In terms of a firm's workforce, problems such as learning c apability, motivation, identity, ambition, and prestige must be taken into account before introducing self-organizational practices. Additio nally, the delegation of authority, the resulting redundancy of middle managers and the relevant compensation for the workers concerned must also be considered. In conclusion, self-organizing teams relate to ma ny constraints, all of which should be considered before putting these teams into practice.